Region's property tax dollars go far — for some counties

Economic development officials often talk about how, when luring businesses to move to a city or town, to not overlook the importance of a top school district combined with rising property values. Together, those metrics can show where property tax dollars go the furthest.

By that measure, four counties on Florida’s west coast get high grades, according to a new report from data analytics firm SmartAsset. The firm’s report created a property tax index, studying a county’s property taxes, school rankings and changes in property values over a five-year period. Lee, Sarasota, Manatee and Collier counties all made the top 10. With a 62.85 property tax index, Walton County, the study found, was No. 1. The Florida Panhandle county barely edged out Lee County, which posted an index of 62.38.